The Adaptation-Mitigation Nexus in Forest-Climate Policy and Beyond

In Cameroon, home to almost 17 million hectares of forest comprising 40% of its territory (Robiglio 2010: 1), climate mitigation receives more attention and endorsement compared to adaptation. Mitigation enjoys access to greater financial support, investment, and political scrutiny (Chia et al 2015: 85), while adaptation suffers is viewed as an encumbrance (Chia et al 2015: 94) due to the limited resources and unpredictability of its effects on communities proximal to or reliant to forest ecosystems (Chia et al 2015: 85).

Chia et al (2015) do not engage explicitly with the idea of a ‘nexus’ per se, but instead frame the nexus approach as one of integration. The authors outline the multifarious advantages of integration generally (Chia et al 2015: 86), discuss the common goals and determinants shared by adaptation and mitigation (Chia et al 2015: 86), and describe the challenges of such a linkage in terms of varying scales of space and time, capacities of different government bodies, and the respective sources of motivation and legitimacy for adaptation and mitigation efforts (Chia et al 2015: 86).

Importantly, the authors propose and justify the adoption of what is essentially an adaptation-mitigation nexus toward forest-climate policy in Cameroon, by setting out the broad benefits to such an integrated approach. In my view, the following benefits to Cameroon of employing a nexus approach to adaptation and mitigation may also apply mutatis mutandis in other ecosystems and environments.

Given the similarities in objectives of adaptation and mitigation, and in the conditions for achieving the same, integrated activities reduce repetition and waste of resources (Chia et al 2015: 89). Adaptation initiatives could tag along with and draw on the assistance, awareness, and advocacy currently enjoyed by mitigation activities (Chia et al 2015: 89). Integration also decreases likely trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation when they are in harmony and do not need to contend with each other for valuable resources and capacity (Chia et al 2015: 89). There may also be likely cost savings in implementation when a strategy incorporates both adaptation and mitigation components (Chia et al 2015: 89).

References:

Chia, E.L., O.A. Somorin, D.J. Sonwa, Y.M. Bele, and M.A. Tiani. (2015). ‘Forest–climate nexus: linking adaptation and mitigation in Cameroon's climate policy process’. Climate and Development 7(1) 2015, pp.85–96.

Robiglio, V., S. Ngendakumana, J. Gockowski, M. Yemefack, M. Tchienkoua, P. Mbile, and M. Bolognes (2010). ‘Reducing emissions from all land uses in Cameroon (Final National Report)’. Nairobi: ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins.